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Lester for Red Sox, Wainwright for Cardinals are Game 1 starters

The Sports Xchange

BOSTON — A rematch of the 2004 World Series will open with aces on the mound.

St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright, who has 20 strikeouts in 23 innings in the playoffs, will oppose left-hander Jon Lester for the Boston Red Sox in Game 1 of the 2013 World Series on Wednesday.

St. Louis has a collective 2.34 ERA in the postseason, but just a .210 batting average.

“They have very good young pitching, they have very good pitching in general,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said. “Obviously they hit with guys in scoring position like no other.”

Lester is 2-1 with a 2.33 ERA in 19 1/3 innings pitched in the 2013 playoffs.

The Red Sox are in catch-up mode, Farrell said, preparing for a Cardinals pitching staff with a short track record, albeit one with rich success.

“They pound the strike zone,” Farrell said.

A lineup hasn’t been drawn up by Farrell for the opening game of the series, but he said he will talk to his platoon players to let them know the Red Sox need contributions from all of them.

Notes: The Red Sox and Cardinals tied for the best regular-season record at 97-55. ... This is the fourth World Series meeting between the Red Sox and Cardinals. ... In 68 combined at-bats against Wainwright, the Red Sox have a .162 batting average.